STO
Fishbowl #7901 soon became the only fishbowl in revenue service in the Eastern
Part of Canada. The bus was kept by STO as a historic bus some time after the charter
in 2009, but due to a bus shortage, they occasionally ran it in service. I
decided to go in spring 2015 to see if I would be able to ride it.

Meanwhile
in 2014, Calgary Transit retired their Classics and last D40.hf The fishbowls
had been retired in December of 2013. However, STO bought 10 Classics from
Calgary.

My plan was
to take VIA train #52 to Ottawa in mid April. I would spend two nights in the
Ottawa area before I took train #45 back to Toronto. The trip unfolded as
follows:

April 15, 2015:

I left home
around 7:40 am. My mom drove me to Langstaff GO station. I bought a ticket and
waited for the train. When the train arrived, I photographed it.

I boarded
the cab car. The train left a few minutes late. At the next stop the train crew
had trouble closing the doors. The door closing chimes played multiple times,
but they eventually got the doors closed. We had no further delays between Old
Cummer and Union station. We got to Union Station two minutes late. I got off
and photographed the train again.

I then
walked to the VIA concourse. I lined up for train #52. Boarding began after
9:00 am. I was seated in HEP 2 coach #4116.I logged into the Wi-Fi on the train. The train departed on time.

As we
passed Greenwood subway yard, I filmed the equipment in the yard. As we passed
GO's Scarborough station, I saw the last Southbound Lincolnville train
approaching on its branch.

The train
passed through Guildwood non stop. We stopped at Oshawa a few minutes later.

A little
while later, we stopped in Cobourg. We departed. A few minutes later, VIA train
#41 passed, but I was unable to film it.

The train passed
the Memory Junction Railway Museum, but I was unable to film it. I noticed some
of their cars had been repainted.

The train
passed through Belleville. I saw VIA train #61 at the station but was unable to
film it. I saw there was a rebuilt Business Class LRC coach being used as a
regular coach as there were economy coaches on either side of the car. I also
saw a covered hopper lettered for Boston and Maine with relettered reporting
marks.

VIA train
#43 passed, but I was unable to film it.

We passed
through Napanee. East of Napanee, a westbound CN freight passed. We stopped at
Kingston a little while later. While we were at Kingston, a westbound CN
intermodel passed. From the train, I saw a Kingston Transit Orion 6. We soon
departed.As we departed, I photographed
a Kingston Transit XD40 and Orion 6.

East of the
station, I saw an ex Kingston Transit Classic in a parking lot. A westbound CN
freight passed.

VIA train
#63 passed. As it passed, I filmed it. I bought lunch. The train stopped to
separate train #62 from train #52. The HEP remained on as they separated the
two trains. We were soon underway and arrived into Brockville.

The train
soon departed from Brockville a few minutes later. I went to the last car and
found it completely empty. The train passed through SmithFalls non stop.A new Smith Falls station had been built east
of the old location. In front of the old station, I filmed a CP track
inspection train. I then photographed a couple CP GP38s and attempted to
photograph the CP inspection train.

Just past
the new Smith Falls station, we stopped on a siding to allow VIA train #47
pass. When it passed, I filmed it. We were soon underway again.

A little while
later, we stopped at Fallowfield. I saw an OC Transpo D60LFr leaving the
station.

Departing
Fallowfield, I saw there was still snow on the ground!

We were
soon approaching Ottawa. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. Train 52
arrived 5 minutes late. I got off and photographed the train.

I then
walked to the parking lot and photographed the train again.

I then
waited for the train to leave. When it departed, I filmed the train departing
and took one photo of another VIA train in the station.

I then got
on a route #95 bus and rode to Campus. It should have taken me 15 minutes to
get to my hotel. Unfortunately, I got poor directions from OC Transpo's trip
planner which the final step was to “walk 11 minutes to {hotel's address}.” As
a result, it took over an hour longer. At one point, I photographed STO Classic
#9106 which was painted all white except for the STO logo.

I first
thought #9106 was an ex Calgary Classic because they are painted just like
#9106 but I later found a roster and #9106 was not an ex Calgary unit. I
eventually took a taxi to the hotel. I checked in and went to my room. I called
my mom and let her know I was at my hotel.

A little
while later, I headed out. I caught an Orion 7 NG on Elgin and rode it to the
Mackenzie- King Transitway stop. I photographed a few OC Transpo double decker
buses before I boarded #8013 and went for a short ride. I got off and
photographed #8013 and filmed it pulling away.

I then walked
down to watch some STO action. I photographed some STO buses

STO Classic
#9014 came. I photographed it before I got on.

I rode
#9014 into Hull, Quebec. On this trip, I would keep going in between Ontario
and Quebec on STO. I got off and filmed #9014 pulling away.

I boarded
an STO Nova LFS and rode back into Ottawa. I got off by the Rideau Center. I
photographed STO #9108; another original STO Classic painted white.

I filmed #9108
pulling away. I photographed a few more Classics.

Since I was
last in Ottawa, STO opened their own version of the Transitway. I decided to go
for a ride. I boarded an articulated LFS and rode to the Les Galleries de Hull
station. I attempted to photograph the bus but it pulled away.

I saw some
Classics deadheading back to the garage.

I
eventually caught a bus back into Ottawa. I got off at the Rideau Center and
looked around. I then decided to go ride the O-Train. Since I was last in Ottawa,
OC Transpo bought some new cars built by Lint. The original cars built by
Talent have been stored; maybe retired even though they're less than 15 years
old.

There was a
train at the station already. I photographed it before I got on.

I sat down
and the train departed. In addition to the new cars, they installed two passing
sidings. As a result, there are four trains on the line instead of two as when
I first rode the O-train.

I filmed
the other trains as they passed. At Greensboro, I photographed the train when I
got off.

I then
bought dinner at a restaurant and went back to my hotel. I noticed there were
lots of Canadian and Indian flags as the Prime Minster from India is visiting Canada.
I watched the latest episode of Survivor though I missed the first 5 minutes.

A little
while later, I went out. I eventually bought two large white milks at a Subway
restaurant. I went back to my hotel and eventually called it a night.